ripple

• (UK, US) IPA^(key): /ˈɹɪp(ə)l/

• Audio (US)

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• Rhymes: -ɪpəl

From an alteration of rimple.

ripple (plural ripples)

1. A moving disturbance, or undulation, in the surface of a fluid.

   I dropped a small stone into the pond and watched the ripples spread.

   The ebbing tide had left ripples in the sand.

2. A sound similar to that of undulating water.
3. A style of ice cream in which flavors have been coarsely blended together.

   I enjoy fudge ripple ice cream, but I especially like to dig through the carton to get at the ripple part and eat only that.

4. (electronics) A small oscillation of an otherwise steady signal.

ripple (third-person singular simple present ripples, present participle rippling, simple past and past participle rippled)

1. To move like the undulating surface of a body of water; to undulate.
2. To propagate like a moving wave.
   • 2008, Bradley Simpson, Economists with Guns, page 65:

     These problems were complicated by a foreign exchange crunch which rippled through the economy in 1961-1962, [...].

3. To make a sound as of water running gently over a rough bottom, or the breaking of ripples on the shore.

From Middle English *ripelen, repulen, equivalent to rip +‎ -le (frequentative suffix).

ripple (third-person singular simple present ripples, present participle rippling, simple past and past participle rippled)

1. (transitive) To scratch, tear, or break slightly; graze

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Holland to this entry?)

Compare Low German Repel, Dutch repel, German Riffel, extended forms (with instrumental or diminutive -le) of Low German Repe (“ripple”), Dutch repe (“ripple”). Compare also Dutch repen, German reffen, Swedish repa (“to beat; ripple”).

The verb is from Middle English ripplen, rypelen. Compare Low German repelen, Dutch repelen, German riffeln.

• reeple, riple

ripple (plural ripples)

1. An implement, with teeth like those of a comb, for removing the seeds and seed vessels from flax, broom corn, etc.

ripple (third-person singular simple present ripples, present participle rippling, simple past and past participle rippled)

1. To remove the seeds from (the stalks of flax, etc.), by means of a ripple.

• Prilep, Rippel